The international Pride in Education conference returns on Saturday, June 25, with the 5th edition seeing its first in-person event accompanying the online stream.
For this event, the conference has over 25 contributors spread over 15 sessions, and offers practical tools to combat prejudice and support an intersectional approach to LGBTQ+ inclusion within education. Amongst the programme, there will be discussions centering asexuality and people with intersex variations.
The programme aims to support anyone working or with an interest in making the education sector more inclusive, from primary to university with a focus on LGBTQ+ lives and issues.
When it comes to education:
- Nearly half (46%) of LGBTQ+ students report not feeling safe at school
- Despite this funding for anti-LGBTQ+ bullying programmes has been cut
- LGBTQ+ students are twice as likely to have been bullied compared to cisgender, heterosexual peers,
- 68% of LGBTQ+ young people say they’ve experienced suicidal thoughts and feelings, rising to 89% for Black LGBT+ young people.
Laila El-Metoui, conference organiser, said: “Even though Covid-19 infections have seen a significant drop across the world, LGBTQ+ people have been disproportionality impacted by the pandemic.
“School closures and lockdowns had a negative impact on most of us, but even more so on LGBTQ+ people trapped in homophobic and transphobic households. It is of the utmost importance that teachers and educators continue to provide inclusive and compassionate education.
“This conference was put together in June 2020 as an emergency response tool to ensure LGBTQ+ people continue to be visible and celebrated within education.
“This conference is important because it’s intersectional and practical. Delegates will learn, network, meet organisations who can support them, and be offered free resources and books which they can take away back to their institutions.”
Pride in Education on Saturday, June 25 from 9.30am-6pm, evening reception till 10.30pm.
For tickets and more info, CLICK HERE